Erika Dreifus

Each week in this space, Practicing Writing shares no-fee, paying markets for writers of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction: competitions, contests, and calls for submissions. These weekly posts complement monthly issues of The Practicing Writer newsletter, where you’ll always find more listings, none of them limiting eligibility to residents of a single municipality, state, or province. (But this blog does share those more localized opportunities, including jobs.)

As always, if you’d like to share a specific opportunity listed here, please credit the blog for the find. Thanks for respecting the time and effort that I put into researching, curating, and posting this information! I do notice, and I appreciate the courtesy.

• The Worcester County (Mass.) Poetry Association’s Frank O’Hara Poetry Prize remains open for entries until March 31. Eligibility is limited to residents of Worcester County; students or employees of institutions within Worcester County; or WCPA members in good standing. Cash prizes and publication.
• April 1 is the deadline to complete the pre-application questionnaire for the current residency-application cycle at the Bellagio Center, which “offers academics, artists, policymakers, and practitioners an opportunity to unlock their creativity and advance groundbreaking work” The residency is located in Italy. Room and board for the residencies, which may last up to four weeks, are included; “travel funding is available when there is financial need.” (As one proceeds through the application, April 25 will be the final deadline for materials.)
• By this time next week, the April issue of the The Practicing Writer 2.0 will have gone out to subscribers. Be sure you haven’t missed any of the still-open opportunities that you’ll find in the March edition.
• From One Story: “We’re seeking paid interns to join our team for the summer (June–August). Interns will gain experience in all aspects of a small nonprofit literary publisher, including reading submissions, assisting with educational programming, social media, and more. This position is approximately 10 hours per week starting mid-June and ending mid-August. This internship is not fully remote. An exact schedule will be determined upon hiring, but interns should plan on spending one day a week in the One Story offices in Gowanus, Brooklyn (with the exception of the week of our writers’ conference 7/29-8/2, when they will be assisting staff throughout the week). The rest of the work can be done remotely. Applicants should be current students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program based in the United States and will need to be within commuting distance from our offices. They should also have a demonstrated interest in the art form of the short story. We offer a stipend of $1200.” Apply by April 10.
• In New Jersey, “the Department of English and Communication at Rutgers University, Camden campus seeks applications for a full-time, 10-month non-tenure track (NTT) Assistant Professor appointment in Creative Writing teaching both undergraduate and graduate level students. This is a 3-year appointment with possibility of renewal. The teaching load is 4 courses per semester, with possible course releases allowing time for administrative duties.” Apply by April 14.
• In Maryland, Coppin State University “is accepting applications to fill an Assistant Professor tenure-track position of English in the Department of Humanities within the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education ( CASE ).” Note that “the candidate would teach English Composition I and II, Creative Writing, poetry, or fiction, African American, and Caribbean Literature.” Apply by April 19.
• Coppin State University is also advertising an “Associate Professor tenure-track position of English with a background in Journalism,” for which “the candidate would teach English Composition I and II, Creative Writing, Poetry, or fiction, Communication Studies, Digital Media Creation, Editing and Journalism courses.” Apply by April 19. 
• From Hub City Writers Project: “We are looking for a Contract Poetry Editor for our BIPOC Poetry Series. Contract expectations begin on or about June 1, 2024. This position is grant-funded at a rate of $40/hr with the expectation of up to 40 hours of service within the 8-week contract period. Previous editorial experience at a publisher or literary agency for book-length manuscripts is required….We expect to fill this position by May 1.”